Many cases of tiredness are due to stress, not enough sleep, poor diet and other lifestyle factors. Try these self-help tips to restore your energy levels.
If you feel you're suffering from fatigue, which is an overwhelming tiredness that isn't relieved by rest and sleep, you may have an underlying medical condition. Consult a GP for advice.
A good way to keep up your energy through the day is to eat regular meals and healthy snacks every 3 to 4 hours, rather than a large meal less often.
Read more about healthy eating.
You might feel that exercise is the last thing on your mind. But, in fact, regular exercise will make you feel less tired in the long run, so you'll have more energy.
Even a single 15-minute walk can give you an energy boost, and the benefits increase with more frequent physical activity.
Start with a small amount of exercise. Build it up gradually over weeks and months until you reach the recommended goal of 2 hours 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as cycling or fast walking, every week.
Read more about starting exercise.
Find out the physical activity guidelines for adults.
If your body is carrying excess weight, it can be exhausting. It also puts extra strain on your heart, which can make you tired. Lose weight and you'll feel much more energetic.
Apart from eating healthily, the best way to lose weight and keep it off is to be more active and do more exercise.
Read more about how to lose weight.
Many people don't get the sleep they need to stay alert through the day.
The website of the Royal College of Psychiatrists has information on sleeping well.
Tips for sleeping well include:
Stress uses up a lot of energy. Try to introduce relaxing activities into your day. This could be:
Whatever relaxes you will improve your energy.
Read more about how to relieve stress.
There's some evidence that talking therapies such as counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) might help to fight fatigue, or tiredness caused by stress, anxiety or low mood.
See a GP for a referral for talking treatment on the NHS, or for advice on seeing a private therapist.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists recommends that anyone feeling tired should cut out caffeine. It says the best way to do this is to gradually stop having all caffeine drinks over a 3-week period.
Caffeine is found in:
Try to stay off caffeine completely for a month to see if you feel less tired without it.
You may find that not consuming caffeine gives you headaches. If this happens, cut down more slowly on the amount of caffeine that you drink.
Although a couple of glasses of wine in the evening can help you fall asleep, you sleep less deeply after drinking alcohol. The next day you'll be tired, even if you sleep a full 8 hours.
Cut down on alcohol before bedtime. You'll get a better night's rest and have more energy.
The NHS recommends that men and women should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week, which is equivalent to 6 pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine.
Try to have several alcohol-free days each week.
Read more about how to cut down on alcohol.
Sometimes you feel tired simply because you're mildly dehydrated.
A glass of water will do the trick, especially after exercise.
Read about healthy drinks.
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Fatigue is a feeling that you're chronically tired - mentally and physically.
It can be caused by a number of factors, including unhealthy lifestyle choices, workplace problems and stress.
There are many different ways you can boost your energy, but see your health practitioner first to make sure you don't have an underlying medical problem.
Food, which gives us energy, is broken down by the digestive system. Some elements, such as water, are absorbed through the stomach. The rest are absorbed through the small intestine.
The body's preferred energy source is glucose, from carbohydrates , but it can also use fatty acids (from fats) and amino acids (from proteins). Glucose is delivered to virtually every cell in the body by the bloodstream, and is then burned with oxygen to produce energy.
Hormones control every step in this process; for example, the pancreas makes the hormone insulin, which helps to control blood sugar levels.
If you want more energy, look at your diet and make sure you're following these basic guidelines:
Low calorie diets or diets that severely restrict carbohydrates don't contain enough energy for your body's needs. The typical crash diet also deprives the body of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and trace elements.A common cause of fatigue is not enough sleep, or poor quality sleep. Suggestions include:
Adults need about 8 hours per night.
Take steps to address your work problems. A good place to start is to talk with your human resources officer.Studies suggest that between 50 and 80% of fatigue cases are mainly due to psychological factors. Suggestions include:
Are you so preoccupied with commitments and pressures that you don't give yourself enough time for fun? Laughter is one of the best energy boosters around.Most people feel drowsy after lunch. This mid-afternoon drop in energy levels is linked to the brain's circadian rhythm and is 'hard wired' into the human body. Preventing this drop in energy may be impossible, but there are ways to reduce the slump, including:
**This information was adapted from the 'Go for your life' campaign with permission by the Victorian Government, Melbourne, Australia
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Last Updated: November 4, 2013
It happens to each of us: you sleep well, but in the morning you feel overwhelmed. The reasons can be very different - from sleep inertia, which we have already talked about, to iron deficiency and much more serious problems. We will tell you why we sometimes experience fatigue, even if we have had enough sleep.
If you feel more tired in the morning than last night, you may have disrupted your circadian rhythms. By waking up at the same time every day, we train our body to wake up immediately after waking up, explains American neuroscientist and sleep expert Christopher Winter. If we sleep longer than usual, then we break this habit.
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“The body sleeps in cycles,” says Winter. - In a normal rhythm, you get up, do exercises, come to work by eight and go to bed after the evening show. But during the weekend, when you hang out with friends on a Friday and then sleep until noon, your brain suddenly doesn't understand what's going on. The brain sees the light for the first time at noon and thinks that the sun has just risen, and your dinner is breakfast...”
Another cause of drowsiness is the inertia of sleep. You can end up in this state if you wake up in the wrong phase. Clinical psychologist Sarah Nowakowski says that we usually go through five sleep cycles of 9 per night.0 minutes, each with four phases. If we disrupt our circadian rhythms, we may wake up not at the end of one of the cycles, but in the middle of one of them. Because of this, you can feel not fully awake and disoriented.
However, there are other reasons why you may be overwhelmed after sleeping all night. Some of them are harmless, while others can be a signal that it is time for you to see a doctor.
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Many people associate physical activity with exhaustion, but this is not always true. Working out in the gym won't necessarily drain all of your energy, but on the contrary, it can improve the quality of your sleep. If you do light exercises at least several times a week, you will have more strength. Regular exercise helps our body and brain work better and reduces sleepiness. nine0003
Lack of water can lead to dizziness and extreme fatigue. Due to dehydration, the volume of blood in the body decreases, the heart works less efficiently, and we feel exhausted.
One of the main signs of depression is fatigue. Due to this mental disorder, fatigue may not leave you, no matter how well you sleep. Often people do not even notice that they are depressed until they realize how sleepy they are constantly experiencing. Pay attention to your feelings and if you think that depression can be the cause of fatigue, contact a psychotherapist.
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A glass of wine before bed can help you relax and fall asleep. However, as Allen Toufay, M.D., points out, “Ultimately, this is how you sabotage the maintenance of [healthy] sleep.” First, alcohol depresses the central nervous system, creating a sedative effect, and then, when the body absorbs alcohol, there is a sharp release of adrenaline. Therefore, after drinking, we can wake up in the middle of the night. Toufai recommends drinking alcohol no later than three to four hours before bedtime. nine0003
The last cup of coffee is best drunk six hours before bedtime. Coffee blocks adenosine, the substance responsible for fatigue, so we have a harder time falling asleep. In addition, some studies show that caffeine disrupts circadian rhythms.
You've probably heard this advice before, but it won't hurt to repeat it. Don't take your phone to bed! The blue light of gadget screens interferes with the production of melatonin, the “sleep hormone”.
You may not notice this effect, but your sleep will be less deep as a result. nine0003
When we fall asleep, the body continues to use the nutrients from dinner to maintain blood circulation and the movement of oxygen in the blood. After waking up, the body needs new fuel to continue its work.
Maybe you lack iron - its lack leads to fatigue. Or perhaps you need more vitamin B, which is involved in converting food into energy. You may also be deficient in magnesium, which maintains normal glucose levels. nine0003
Stress and anxiety also lead to drowsiness. They can make it harder for you to fall asleep and wake up more often, depriving yourself of deep sleep.
Sometimes fatigue can be a sign of a serious illness, such as diabetes, thyroid disease, or anemia. Anemia can be caused by iron deficiency, blood loss, or something more dangerous like kidney failure or even cancer.
If you feel exhausted for more than a week, see your doctor. nine0003
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September 7, 2022 Motivation
The right priorities and self-care will help you overcome a difficult life period.
Laurie Deschen
Founder of the website Tiny Buddha and co-founder of the Next Creator Up podcast.
I am very tired. I'm having a baby in six weeks, and my pregnancy is going through with complications. At the same time, I continue to work and participate in new projects. nine0003
It's hard: for every small victory of this difficult period, there was a moment when I felt destroyed. I recently realized what helps me overcome fatigue. If you are also having a hard time, my tips may come in handy.
More than a year ago, a friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer.
She quit her job despite the risk of running out of money. She broke off relationships that were not suitable for her, despite the engagement. And she met cancer with her usual courage. Her feat is not that she was not afraid, but that she overcame a difficult period, despite all the fears. nine0003
My conditions are much more pleasant, and sometimes it seems that I really have no reason to be so worried. My experience is nothing compared to what my friend went through. I think I should just come to terms with my stress at the end of a hard day, silently endure any fatigue or discomfort. Just because I'm lucky.
But it's hard for me too. I'm still going through a difficult pregnancy, trying to get everything done, dealing with unpleasant physical symptoms and a lot of fears. There will always be someone who had a harder time, but why blame yourself for it? nine0003
People find themselves in different situations and may equally need help and understanding.
Take note 💡
If we spend all our energy on unimportant things, we won't have the energy to do the things that really change our lives. nine0003 Seven years ago I had an operation to remove uterine fibroids. I knew that for a speedy recovery I should not strain, but the mess in the room haunted me. I'm a fan of order.
A day has passed since the operation. The seam after the incision in the lower abdomen has just begun to tighten. And then I see a casually thrown pair of shoes next to the door. I knew they weren't supposed to be there. I was in pain, but I tried to put these shoes in the closet. Mom said I was crazy and she was right. nine0003
Now I remember the shoe incident every time I feel exhausted and want to do something. I ask myself: will it wait until morning? Or maybe I shouldn't do it at all? What if someone helps me? And, most importantly, will it really make my life better?
Crossing things out of your diary is not easy, especially if you, like me, are used to taking everything on yourself.
But sometimes we just need to give up something in order to save strength and save ourselves from a nervous breakdown. nine0003
Maybe you used to be more active or productive (I definitely was). Or you were the person you could ask for help at any time of the day. Or a great conversationalist who could listen to a friend, even if it would take all night.
We worry not only that we will no longer be the same, but also that others will not like these changes. But we are inevitably confronted with new challenges and needs that will not go away if we simply ignore them. nine0003
I don't romanticize change. Not being able to do what you used to love is a total waste.
I don't go to yoga anymore because I don't have the time or energy. And I don’t do a bunch of other things that used to consist of my every day. But I was lucky: someday I will be able to do it again, even if not soon.
It's okay to worry about things you can't do. But in the end, we still have to accept reality and ask ourselves how to work with what we have. Otherwise, we will be very worried, and these experiences will not change anything. nine0003
Many of us make this mistake. We think we can do more: others do! If you feel bad, do not convince yourself that everything is in order. That way you won't be more productive. And to reproach yourself for a forced respite is also pointless.
If you are tired, you need a rest. And if it hurts, compassion. And nothing will change for the better until you get what you need.
We cannot quit everything and do what we want, especially if we have taken responsibility to others. But we can definitely find some time to please ourselves. nine0003
Recently, I started to include these moments of rest in my schedule. If I can't afford an hour of naps, I will sleep for 15 minutes.
If I don't have time to walk 10,000 steps, then at least walk around the block. If I don't have an hour to write about all my experiences in a diary, I will take the time to note three important problems and three ways to solve them.
We constantly compare ourselves to others and think that we must keep up with them, otherwise we will waste our lives. It is not true. nine0003
You don't have to be perfect to be happy. We do not have to be afraid of falling behind someone, because each of us goes our own way. And no matter what is happening in our lives right now, this is a valuable experience.
Many would agree that success is inextricably linked to overcoming challenges. I would never have thought that my decade-long struggle with depression and bulimia would be the reason for a change for the better. I could not imagine how my pain would determine the further trajectory of my life and how this dark stage would lead me to new ones - bright, filled and exciting.
